Nature:
A series of small earthquakes and the widening of the caldera
in 2011 has increased interest in the state of the Santorini
volcano, which belongs to a chain of islands in the Aegean Sea.
Unsure whether the activity is a sign of an impending eruption,
geologists from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research are
installing instruments to measure the sea floor's vertical
movement and deformation. They will also be monitoring the
temperatures and chemistry of sea-floor vents. By measuring
changes in the levels of magma and gases rising below the sea
floor, the scientists should be able to determine whether the
volcano is returning to a dormant state or potentially
preparing for an eruption. The volcano, which last erupted in
1950, is best known for a series of eruptions in 1650 BC that
are believed to have led to the destruction of the Minoan
civilization on the nearby island of Crete.
